Ship&#39;s log.



E. C. AKERS.

V SHIPS LOG.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1909v Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

2 SHBETS-SHEET l.

EARL C. AKEBS Witnono QZM COLUMBIA PLANDCIRAPH co.,wAsmNuTON' D. C.

E. G. AKERS.

SHIPS LOG.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1009.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

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31411011102; EARL GAKERS Q. .Z ZWM. Q a Aim/M.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL C. AKERS, 0F PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

SHIPS LOG.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL C. AKERS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Port Huron, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ships Logs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a ships log and more particularly to an arrangement thereof whereby the parts are completely housed within the hull of the boat and whereby a reading can be obtained at any instant with out special manipulation of the apparatus.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view largely diagrammatic of a vessel equipped with a log embodying features of the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in transverse section through the hull of the vessel near the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a plan View, still further enlarged of the apparatus showing the method of attachment to the skin of the vessel; Fig. 4 is a view in detail of a clearing pipe; Fig. 5 is a plan view with top plate removed of a wheel casing; Fig. 6 is a View in cross section of the casing; Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation partially broken away of an indicator; and Fig. 8 is a view of the bottom of the indicator with the base plate removed.

Referring to the drawings an inlet plate 1 having a longitudinal passage, is secured against the inner face of the skin 2 of a ships hull near the bow thereof and preferably near the turn of the bilge or sufiiciently below the water line so that the opening which is made in the skin to register with the passage, is submerged whether the vessel is light or loaded. An outlet plate or fitting 1 is similarly secured to the vessel skin in substantiallv horizontal alinement with and abaft the inlet fitting 1, its longitudinal passage discharging through a registering opening in the ships skin. A substantially cylindrical casing 5 has an inlet nipple 6 con nected by piping 7 to the inlet plate 1, and a discharge nipple 8 from which a pipe 9 leads to the outlet plate 4. A light paddle or water wheel 10 of any preferred construction is rotatably mounted in the lower part of the casing 5 with its blades 11 so arranged that water entering the nipple 6 impinges Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 1, 1909.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913. Serial No. 515,686.

upon them and then passes freely through the discharge nipple 8. A shaft 12 of the water wheel is in axial alinement with a follower shaft 13 journaled in a suitable hearing and stuffing box 14 in the upper end wall 15 of the casing. The shafts are operatively connected through any preferred form of speed reducing mechanism, as for example, a reduction gear train 16.

The upper portion of the shaft 13 beyond the stuffing box 14 is housed in a water tight chamber 17 on the end wall 15 of the casing. A disk 18 of insulating material is secured on the shaft 13 in this chamber and carries symmetrically disposed rollers 19 or other electrical contact points of suitable design that are arranged to bridge or close the gap bet-ween a pair of fixed terminals 20 secured in insulated relation in the chamber 17 and connected to a cable 21 having two leads 22.

An indicator is placed in the wheel-house or other insulation station on the vessel. In preferred form this consists of a cylindrical casing 25 with the dial plate 26 which is swept by a pointer 27 turned by a staff 28 journaled in the casing. Preferably a yoke 29 is secured in the casing to afford bearing for the staff 28.

An electro-magnet 30 is connected in serise through the cable 21 with the points or contact plugs 20 and a battery indicated at 31, or other source of electrical generation. A vibrating armature 32 carrying a make and break point 33, is connected at its free end by a link 34 to an oscillatory pawl arm 35. A pawl 36 on the latter engages a ratchet wheel 37 which is moved forward one tooth at each stroke of the armature and lever, a stop or detent 38 preventing retrograde movement of the ratchet.

A ratchet wheel arbor 39 carries a pinion 10 in mesh with a gear 41 that in turn rotates a shaft 42 on which a friction cone 43 is mounted, the parts being so disposed that the peripheral element of the cone adjacent the rotatable staff 23 is parallel thereto and is in rolling frictional engagement with a disk 44 that is non-rotatable and longitudinally adjustable on said staff. A fork 4E5 embracing the disk 44 is in screwthreaded engagement with an adjusting screw 46 which is provided with a suitable head A? for manipulation to permit endwisc shifting of the from.

The form of driving connection between the electro-magnet and the indicator arm 27 may be of any preferred type which permits change of speed or adjustment to rotate the parts in proper relation to the travel of the boat through the water.

A clearing pipe 48 is connected to the pipe 7 and is provided with a shut-01f valve 49, whereby air under pressure or water may be forced through the inlet plate 1 to clear it if it becomes foul. Suitably arranged valves 50 are likewise provided to enable the removal and inspection of the casing 5.

, In operation the movement of the vessel through the water causes a current through the inlet, casing, and outlet which turns the paddle or water wheel and thereby operates the indicator. The variable speed mechanism for driving the indicator hand or indeX enables the apparatus to be properly engaged for each boat to which it is attached so that when the boat has passed a mile or a fraction thereof along its course the fact is indicated in direct reading on the dial of the indicator.

One of the features of the apparatus is the housing of the same completely within the hull of the vessel so that if the vessel drags bottom or runs ashore no damage is done to the apparatus. It is also to be noted that the inlet and outlet plates may be attached at any desirable point below the water line to the ships skin provided the motion of the boat induces a current through the apparatus it only being necessary to properly calibrate the apparatus after it is once placed in position, which is readily done by running the ship over a given length of course in a given time and adjusting the indicator to read accordingly.

Obviously, changes in the details and construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

WVhat I claim as my invention is:

The combination with the hull of a vessel and a conduit secured therein having an inlet through the skin of the hull below the ships water line, and an outlet through the skin abaft the inlet, of a casing having an inlet in communication through the conduit with the inlet of the latter and an outlet in communication through the conduit with the outlet of the latter, a paddle wheel rotatably mounted in the casing and adapted to be operated by water passing through the casing, a w'ater tight chamber on the casing over the paddle wheel, areduction gear train in the chamber, a shaft from the paddle wheel extending into the chamber and into operative connection with the train, an indicator mounted on the hull remote from the conduit including a revoluble pointer traversing a dial plate, and means for turning the pointer, means operatively connecting the speed reduction mechanism in the chamber with the indicator operating means, the indicator operating means being adjustable to regulate the speed of the indicator relative to the speed of the paddle wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EARL C. AKERS.

Witnesses C. R. STIOKNEY, A. M. SHANNON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

